In big news we’re currently looking at moving somewhere a bit more wild, a bit further out in the Lothian region of Scotland. Hopefully on a block of land big enough to attract even more birds, butterflies, bees, badgers, foxes and all the wonderful insects, worms, small mammals as well as having space to grow Feijoas which blackbirds and robins love the plants, Blackbirds are a great pollinator.
Looking back over the garden list, our first year we were lucky to get 10 birds of 5 or 6 species on a daily basis, now there’s at least 50 house sparrows daily and possibly as many 100 birds in the garden most of the time. Although the Chaffinch and Greenfinch sightings are less frequent. I hope to be able to do something similar on a larger scale and help more wildlife in the future.
Jan 1st: I am dealing with a lot of pain and haven’t been able to be outside as much, probably a lot more birds that I didn’t manage to see.
2024 Garden bird watch for Edinburgh, Scotland, list:
- Blackbird – Jan 1st – First bird of the year
- Blackcap – Jan 16th
- Blue Tit – Jan 1st
- Bullfinch – Feb 8th
- Carrion Crow – Jan 1st
- Coal Tit – Jan 2nd
- Collared Dove – Jan 2nd
- Dunnock – Jan 1st
- Feral Pigeon – I prefer Street Pigeon – Jan 1st
- Fieldfare – Jan 2nd
- Goldfinch – June 11th
- Grasshopper Warbler – April 18th – first exact ID for my garden.
- Great Tit – Jan 2nd
- Grey heron – Jan 16th – FO
- Herring Gull – Jan 16th
- House Sparrow – Jan 1st
- Jackdaw – Jan 1st
- Long-tailed Tit – Jan 8th
- Magpie – Jan 1st
- Robin – Jan 1st
- Rook – Feb 3rd
- Siskin – April 5th
- Sparrowhawk – Jan 5th
- Starling – Jan 18th
- Stock Dove – Jan 1st
- Woodpigeon – Jan 1st
- Willow warbler – Sept 30th
- Wren – Jan 23rd
- Yellowhamer – Jan 16th
2024 Garden Bird Watch Year Total:
- 11 Species as of January 1st.
- 15 Species as of January 2nd.
- 16 Species as of January 5th.
- 17 Species as of January 8th.
- 21 Species as of January 16th.
- 22 Species as of January 18th.
- 23 Species as of January 23rd.
- 24 Species as of February 3rd.
- 25 Species as of February 8th.
- 26 Species as of April 5th.
- 27 Species as of April 18th.
- 28 Species as of June 11th.
- 29 Species as of September 30th.
Garden Bird behaviour
On 5th of January I was sitting on the couch when there was a sudden bang on the window, there were lots of kids playing around the street and I figured it’s just a stray ball or them throwing apples again, but no it was sadly a Fieldfare hitting the window. On further investigation I noticed a sparrowhawk sitting on one of the feijoa plants in the front garden. The moment it saw me it took off, I checked the fieldfare which was laying in the garden, sadly it was dead. I moved it to a spot where there’s a fox/badger desire line that way the death wouldn’t go to waste.
RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch – sadly I thought I’d saved my list after submitting on the RSPB’s website, but I can’t find it. If I find it later in the year I will add it here.
